Réunion Island is a photographer’s paradise, with its dramatic landscapes, lush greenery, and breathtaking waterfalls. The island has such a diverse landscape and during my one-week stay I only scratched the surface of the places to explore.
In this article, I’ve listed some of the locations I visited that were incredible for photography.
As a disclaimer, this is not a complete list of all the photo locations in Réunion. This is just my experience of one week exploring this island.
Youtube Vlogs
I’ve also listed the videos I created during my trip so you can see some behind-the-scenes of how I captured these images.
1) Cilaos
Cilaos is nestled in the heart of Réunion’s rugged interior, and offers dramatic mountain landscapes perfect for photography.
With its deep cirques, jagged peaks, and misty morning light, the area provides endless opportunities for capturing striking contrasts between lush greenery and volcanic rock formations.
Using the drone allowed me to capture the immense scale of these peaks.
2) Cascade de Grand Galet
This has to be one of the most photogenic waterfalls on the island featuring multiple streams tumbling down a lush, moss-covered rock face.
Surrounded by dense tropical vegetation, the cascade creates a stunning contrast of deep greens and bright, rushing water.
Again, I used a drone to capture the beautiful surroundings of this waterfall, which you can’t quite appreciate at ground level.
3) Bassin des Aigrettes
Bassin des Aigrettes is a hidden gem near Saint-Gilles, offering a stunning emerald pool fed by a graceful waterfall cascading down rugged basalt cliffs.
Framed by lush tropical vegetation, it is an ideal location to capture some nice images.
As a disclaimer, access to this location is not straightforward and is not listed as an official walking route – so do so at your own risk.
4) Cap Noir
Cap Noir offers stunning panoramic views of Réunion’s rugged interior, with dramatic ridges and deep cirques.
The hike provides epic photography opportunities, especially at sunset, when the light enhances the contrast of the volcanic landscape.
5) Takamaka Waterfall
Takamaka Waterfall is a breathtaking cascade set in a deep, misty valley, surrounded by dense tropical greenery.
We visited Reunion at the end of the dry season so the waterfalls weren’t in full flow. Visiting at the end of the wet season, I imagine would be incredible.
This was a perfect place to fly the drone – just keep an eye on your signal strength as the cliffs can easily block direct line of sight.
The viewpoint must be one of the best on the island and there’s a longer hike down to the valley floor, if you’re feeling adventurous.
6) Plage du Tremblet
Plage du Tremblet offers a striking black sand beach framed by rugged volcanic rocks, with the waves crashing against the shore creating a dramatic scene.
During the wet season, I believe there are numerous waterfalls spilling directly on to the beach. I imagine this would be an impressive sight.
Nearby is the grounded tanker, Tresta Star, which adds a unique touch to this coastline. Although I can’t see this wreck lasting too much longer with the crashing waves.
On this side of the island, you can see the lava runs off from Piton de la Fournaise (fornes) – which is one of the most active volcanos in the world.
Thank You
Thanks for viewing. I hope you found this article helpful and inspired you on your adventure to Réunion. Feel free to comment on this article or drop me a message on social media if you have any further questions.
As I mentioned in the opening part of the article, there is a lot more to photograph on Réunion Island and this is simply my personal experience.
